Dog BMI Calculator

Submitted by Michael Adams on May 28, 2010

It is important to weigh your dog every three months. This helps you ensure that it gets the right nutrition and is not over or under fed. Depending on the amount the dog weighed at the time it was a puppy, it is necessary to calculate dog weight till the time it has reached adult hood to see that it is on the right track to the ideal weight.

The number of dog breeds is so vast that there is no hard and fast rule to calculating the dog’s ideal weight, but below are listed some of the guidelines you can follow depending on if your dog is a poodle or a Great Dane. The first time you need to weigh your puppy is six weeks after birth. For instance, if your dog weighs two kilos at the time of birth, then you need to double the weight and then triple it in order to get the ideal weight of what your dog should be once it reaches adult hood. Thus the dog’s ideal weight as an adult would be six kilos. This is naturally more relevant for a small dog. This is very important to calculate the dog’s bmi.

It is important to avoid common myths surrounding your dogs’ weight such as, by feeding it more, the dog will increase in height because all that is achieved by over feeding the dog is an overweight and an unhealthy animal. Also, see to it that the dog is taken for regular visits to the vet in order to get better advice on the type of foods that the dog should consume in case it is under weight and / or the kind of exercise needed to maintain the dogs’ weight. Especially in cases where a big dog is kept in an apartment and does not have the freedom to explore on its own, there is a tendency to get lethargic and overweight. Some owners have invested in exert – cycles for their dogs so they can get the required amount of exercise within the confines of the apartment. Other than that, it is important that the dog is taken for regular walks and runs. A minimum of four outings is recommended for large and medium sized dogs and a minimum of two outings a day for the smaller variety. Depending on the age of the dog this can vary, as puppies need to get more exercise.